This invention relates to lighting systems, and more specifically, to recessed lighting systems that are particularly suitable for aircraft.
As used herein, a recessed lighting system is one wherein the light source is spaced internally from the skin or outer surface panel of an airplane or other craft in which it is being employed. Landing light systems for aircraft, for example, are mostly of the recessed type. In large commercial aircraft, landing light systems are installed in the aerodynamic fairing positioned between the leading edge of the wing and the body of the aircraft. The light source is positioned rearwardly from the forward surface of the fairing and exits from the fairing through a window. Since conventional lamps produce a diverging light beam, the exit window is be necessity larger than the lamp itself. Because of the forward sweep of the wing fairing, an elongated exit window many times bigger than the size of the original light beam emanating from the light source is required so that all of the light emanating from the source can pass through the fairing and be usable to illuminate the runway or taxi strip.
Accordingly, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide an improved recessed lighting system, to provide a recessed lighting system that employs an exit window of smaller cross-sectional area than prior windows, to provide a recessed lighting system that is more versatile than prior systems, to provide a recessed lighting system that can be employed to scan a predetermined area to be illuminated, to provide a recessed lighting system that can be positioned where prior systems cannot be located, to provide a recessed lighting system that can dispose of heat energy produced by the light source, to provide a recessed lighting system that is easily accessible and serviceable, and lastly, to provide a lighter weight and more economical recessed lighting system.